Definitions of Literature - What is Literature?
What is literature? The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as,
'writing which has claim to consideration on the grounds of beauty of form or
emotional effect'. However, dictionary definitions are insufficient and will
not illuminate this complex question, which has been a major concern of
literary theory. It has been answered in diverse and, in some instances,
conflicting ways.
For example, the Russian Formalists, a school of thought concerned
with the application of linguistics to the study of literature, expressed the
view that literature 'transforms and intensifies' ordinary language. The
Formalists were extreme in the view that literary form should be privileged
over content.
However,
not all writers intend to draw attention to their style and language.
Hemingway, for example, is admired for his economy of style and
characterisation. In contrast to Formalism, transactional theories, developed
by critics such as D.W. Harding (1977), Louise Rosenblatt (1978) and Wolfgang
Iser (1974), have drawn attention to the role of the reader. Rather than
focusing on the intrinsic value of the text, these response theorists have
sought to describe and analyse what happens when a reader responds to a text
and the active process of meaning making that arises from interaction between
author, text and reader.
Unpicking the question, 'what is literature?' it becomes apparent
that literature is a functional rather than ontological term, and its value is
transient not fixed. Some texts acquire literary merit, while others which may
have been admired in the past lose their currency. Mary Shelley, for example,
is a writer whose work has enjoyed a critical revival as the values of the
dominant culture more readily accommodate her work.
What counts as literature varies not only over time (diachronically)
but also across cultures (synchronically). Readers will often ascribe value to
the literature from different cultures using their own literary experience as a
benchmark for judging quality and worth. For instance, I have found readers
uncertain in their responses to My
Girragundji, an autobiographical
story by Australian aboriginal writers Meme McDonald and Boori Pryor (1998).
Typically, comments criticise the unfamiliar narrative structure and
non-standard syntax. These comments are not a reflection of the quality of the
text but of the readers' limited experiences and lack of awareness of cultural
aesthetics.
The range of texts detailed in the National Curriculum and the
Primary Framework includes 'texts drawn from a variety of cultures and traditions'.
When asked why these texts should be part of children's reading experience, new
student teachers frequently mention the importance of international
understanding, tolerance or enrichment. Embracing these principles and making
them work in practice requires an open mindedness and willingness to consider
different cultural definitions of what counts as literature.
